No fines, no arrests: US police retires AI-powered robot officer after less than a year on patrol

A robot security officer deployed by a police department in the US state of Ohio has reportedly been retired after less than a year in service, having failed to contribute to a single arrest, criminal investigation or traffic citation.

As per reports, the autonomous security robot, popularly known as "DubBot", was introduced by the Dublin Police Department in July 2025 as part of an effort to explore the use of artificial intelligence and automation in public safety operations.

Officially known as the K5 Autonomous Security Robot, the machine was developed by California-based company Knightscope and was intended to serve as an additional surveillance and monitoring tool for law enforcement personnel.

Standing more than five feet tall and weighing around 180 kilograms, the robot was equipped with 360-degree cameras, sensors and an emergency assistance button for public use. It was assigned to patrol a parking garage and report suspicious activity or incidents requiring police attention.

However, after several months of operation, authorities concluded that the robot had failed to deliver meaningful results. According to officials, DubBot was not involved in any arrests, criminal investigations or traffic enforcement actions and did not identify any incidents requiring a police response.

The city reportedly spent approximately $67,548 (around ₹63 lakh) on deploying the robot. Last month, authorities decided to discontinue the programme, stating that the machine was no longer meeting operational requirements.

As per reports, the decision also halted plans for a broader deployment. Dublin had initially considered introducing two robots under a two-year contract valued at more than $2,38,000. The second robot was never deployed.

Although the police department spent more than $1,28,000 on the initiative, officials expect to receive reimbursement from Knightscope, reducing the project’s overall cost.

The Ohio experiment is not the first setback for Knightscope's robotic security systems.

In 2023, K5 robots were introduced in parts of New York City's subway network under then mayor Eric Adams. The programme was later discontinued after questions were raised about the robots' effectiveness and the extent of human supervision required to support their operations.

More recently, a Knightscope robot deployed at San Antonio International Airport was reportedly withdrawn following technical problems, including navigation difficulties and issues with providing reliable live video and audio feeds.